how to direct select output to insert input

[Net Llama!]

On 03/27/03 19:10, Bill Davidson wrote:
> On Thu, 27 Mar 2003 17:45:33 -0800
> "Net Llama!" <netllama at linux-sxs.org> wrote:
> 
>> i've got an Oracle (9i, if that matters) problem.  i need to
>> essentially copy all the data from a single column (call it a) in a
>> table into a different column (call it b) in the same table.  both a
>> and b are the same datatype, and b is currently empty.  i've tried the
>> following, but it fails:
>> insert into table_foo (b) values ((select a from table_foo));
>> 
>> i think the problem is that its attempting to insert all the rows from
>> a into a single row of b.  i just don't know how to work around this. 
>> anyone have any ideas or suggestions?  thanks!
> 
> How about:
> insert into table_foo (b) select a from table_foo;

ORA-01400: cannot insert NULL

-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
L. Friedman                       	       netllama at linux-sxs.org
Linux Step-by-step & TyGeMo: 		    http://netllama.ipfox.com

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